la dow



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0. LA DOW.

HORSE RAKE. No. 349,942. Patented Sept. 28, 1886.

llllllltllllllllllll E1 mnmuumlllllllllllll i L" WQII FII Witnesses: AIzwnkot C a a ZA-D 44(1) I fidm.

u. Pnzns mwmm m w. wammm n. a

UNITED STATES CHARLES LA DOV, OF

PATENT Grinch.

ALBANY, NE\V YORK.

HORSE-RAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 349,942, dated September 28, 1886.

Application filed December 12, 1884. Serial No. 150,197.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GHxRLEs LA Dow, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vheel Horse-Rakes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of hayralres which employs a revolving axle and mechanism thereon for lifting the teeth by the draft-power of the horse; and it consists of the combination of a draft-frame, a rake-head, and teeth suspended therefrom, a revolving axle with an enlargement or drum attached thereon, a band or coiled friction device wound spirally around the drum and connected with the rake, and mechanism for tightening the band or coiled friction device upon the drum for the purpose of controlling and operating the teeth as desired, either in connection with or independent of other foot or hand dumping levers.

It further consists, in combination with a draft-frame, rake-head and teeth, and revolving axle, of a drum secured to the axle, upon which is coiled a spiral band, to one end of which band is secured a lifting-arm connected with the rake-teeth, and to the other end of which band is secured mechanism for impinging or tightening the band upon the drum at will, whereby the power derived through the forward rotary movement of the drum can be communicated and applied through the spiral and lifting arm to the teeth for the purpose of lifting and dumping them.

It further consists of other combinations and details of construction hereinafter described.

The objects of my invention are to utilize the greatest possible amount ofthe draft-power of the horse and to require comparatively the least possible assistance from the driver in directing this power for operating the machine, both when it is advancing and when it is turning, and as well to provide means in connection herewith for operating the teeth when the rake is moving backward or is at rest, and also to cheapen and strengthen the construction of this class of hay-rakes.

The objects and purposes of my invention I accomplish by means of the devices and construction shown in the accompanying draw- (No model.)

ings, which form part of this specification, and in which Figurel is a top view of my invention, with the forward part of the thills removed, showing a rigid rake-frame with teeth dependent from a thimble-rod mounted thereon, a revolving axle and its carrying wheels and drum, and the levers for operating the machine. Fig. 2 is a side view showing specifically the system of levers employed. Fig. 3 is a face view ofthe hub of one of the carrying-wheels, showing part of the cap removed, the ratchets, and teeth. Fig. 4 represents a vertical section of the hub, its ratehets, the axle, hub-cap, and pin for connecting the axle to the carrying- Wheel, and shows one of the adjustable boxings or journals K K K for steadying the wheels and coupling the axle to the draftframe. Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical and horizontal sections showing the adjustable boxing orjournal-bearinglast mentioned. Fig. 7 represents a vertical section through the axle and drum and the method of securing them together, cross-sections of the spiral coil upon the drum, the lifting-arm Z of the spiral oscillating on the axle, (a side view of which is shown in Fig. 9,) the tightening-arm of the spiral, also oscillating on the axle, (a side View of which is shown in Fig. 11,) also showing the oil pan device for lubricating the surface of the drum and its encompassing spirals. Fig. 8 is a top view of the axle, drum, spirals, lifting-arm, and the tighteni ng-ar ill with its hub and the snubbing-chain. Fig. 9 represents the lifting-arm, oscillating on the axle A, and the method preferably employed in attaching it to the spiral, and Fig. 10 shows a modification of this device, being an end view of the lifting-arm made in one piece with the spiral band. Fig. 11 is a face view of the tightening-arm and the snubbing-chain acting upon the hub of the arm,and shows,also,one side of the drum and the coil of the spiral which is attached to this arm.

The same letters denote the same parts in all the figures.

Obviously the details of construction of the several parts may be varied in various equivalent wellknown ways without departing from the spirit ofmy invention. Some of the parts may also be used without the others and in IOC machines differing in construction from that herein shown.

The draft-frame is rigid and composed of the thills T T, cross bar 13. bracesb b, and bar or rake-head D. The rake-teeth t t t are strung upon the thimble-rod E E, and separated by thimbles, and this rod is at suitable from the thimble-rod E E, and provided with staples for lifting the teeth when it is itself raised, and it serves as well to hold the teeth down to work.

1, 2, a lever oscillating from the thimble-rod and rigidly attached rearward to the lifting.

bar G, near its middle. In Fig. 1, L is'a brace,

also oscillating from the thimble-rod,and connected to L at a convenient point to prevent the operating -levers from wrenching L and to guard it against lateral strain.

The axle A can be made to revolve by being attached to the carrying-wheels W Wor to either of them,in any wellknown way;

but I prefer to accomplish this by means of a;

double ratchet attached to the hub of either or both wheels, as in Figs. 3 and 4. In these;

about its inner surface.

are pivoted the gravitypawls r r, is :provided to fit the rim n n of the hub. The shoulders- 1" r are to brace the pawls. A pimp, Fig. 4., engages the cap 0 0 with the axle A. (In Fig.

3 a part of the cap is removed, showing 0, the face of the hub.) By this construction.

' the ratchets being on the hub and the .pawls on the cap, the pawls engage from opposite sides of the hub with the teeth, and so prevent a one-sided strain upon the wheel when the jerk caused by dumping the teeth occurs.

Obviously, also, when the wheel-hub rotates forward (in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3)

both pawls must engage with the ratchet-teeth in-the rim n n of the hub, and the cap 0 0 and the axle pinned to it must, in consequence, be

rotated in the same direction; but when the,

wheel and its hub move backward the pawls disengage and the cap and axle cease to rotate. Thus, as long as one of the carryingwheels advances the axle A will be rotated, whether the other wheel is stationary or going backward, as in the case of turning the rake.

In all cases, then, the axle has either a for- The rakeward rotary motion or it is at rest.

the drum.

to it-by the bolt 00, whose head as is fitted to the T-sh'aped groove in the rear end of the clip adjacent to said bar, so that the clip or bearing can be clamped or gripped adj ustably to the bar. The side of each clip or adjustable bearing which is mounted on the axle adjacent to a carrying-wheel may be cored out to receive the hub of the wheel, and thereby form a boxing for it. An adjustable means is thereby provided both to protect the hub from being clogged with dirt or grass and to steady the wheels and prevent them from drawing inward upon the axle and away from the cap 0 0 with its 'pawls and to support theframe upon the axle.

Upon the axle-A, at a convenient point at about the middle of its length, is mounted a drum, M, and firmly-attached to it, Fig. 7. It may be of any diameter, length, or breadth L is in the construction shown herein, Figs. 3

desired, but is preferably hollowed at each end. Around it is coiled spirally a band, N, of suitable dimensions, and making as many colls as desired, Figs. 7 and 8. To oneend of the spiral a lifting-arm, Z, is fastened. This arm Z may be fixed to the spiral as an enlargement of it, as shown in Fig. 10.; but I prefer to attach the end of the spiral 'to' an arm, Z,

oscillating from the axle A, in the manner shown in Figs. -7 and 9. This latter construction is preferable, because it adapts theparts to withstand greater strains, and the arm or coil can be replaced'separately if broken, and

the arm oscillating from-the axle is not(when operating to lift the teeth)impinged upon the drum, so as to prevent an instantaneous disengagementof the lifting end of the coil and The link Z connects the liftingarm Zwith the lever L, Fig.2. The liftingarm I is 'provided with a hub or shoulder,'and

, oscillates perpendicularly upon the axle A and adjacent to the drum, and is thereby adapted to withstand the lateratstrain upon it when thespiral is tightened upon the drum, and to prevent the coils of the spiral from crowding together when being tightened, and at the same time forms a lever which operates from a more stable fulcrunrthan if it were made in one .piece with the coil and'operated fro-m the surface of the drum. ,Obviously,

to the lever J adj ustably, so that by pressing forward upon this lever the-spiral is tightened upon the drum. To accomplish this, I construct the tightening-arm u preferably to oscillate upon the axle A and adjacent to the drum, Fig. 7,, and with-a hub, as in that figare shown. I connect the spiral and are; ti,

at c, and pass a chain or flexible band around the hub of the arm, as in Fig. 11, and link it to the lever J by link 12, whose length is adjustable by a nut at o. In this construction the arm it serves to withstand the lateral tension of the spiral when tightened upon the drum M, and the hub prevents the chain from being worn by the revolutions of the axle. Its further object is to furnish a point of attachment for the chain in such manner that the lever J is moved through a less distance in tightening the spiral on the drum than if it (J) were linked directly to the spiral. By this construction when lever J is operated to rotate the arm a forward, the power from it is constantly and uniformly ap plied to a point in the arm directly above its center of oscillation and at right angles to the axle, no matter what the relative position of the part of the arm connected with the spiral may be. The lever J, therefore, must move forward proportionately slower and through a shorter distance than will the tightening end 0' of the arm a and the end of the spiral, which I is thereby drawn forward and tightened upon the drum. Consequently this end of the spiral coil is, by the forward movement of the lever J, drawn rapidly forward upon the face of the revolving drum M, and made to impinge upon and clasp it, so that by the friction of the parts the spiral throughout the length of its coils clasps the drum and rotates forward in unison with it, thereby rotating forward the lifting-arm Z, which operates to lift the bar G and with it the teeth. The arm a may be omitted, and the connection may be made directly between the lever J and the spiral band. This friction device operates equally as well with a rake-head hinged to rotate on the axle as with a rake-head bearing a fixed relation to the axle, as shown herein. \Vhen the rakehead is constructed to rotate upon the axle, the link Z is omitted and the arm l is rigidly secured to the rake-head, and the lifting end of the spiral is attached to this arm. The oilpan 0 G is suspended from bar D and extended under the drum, so that the surface of the drum as it rotates through the oil shall be constantly lubricated, and shall in its revolutions carry the oil around under the coils,andthereby, when the forward end of the spiral is ti htened,cause the coils quickly to slip around and tighten throughout their length upon the drum. The length of the chain and rod 11 is adapted and regulated to the stress or tension necessary to operate the spiral N, and as the spiral stretches a little in use the length is regulated by the nut o. The spiral coils are preferably of metal.

One advantage of the drum in connection with the spiral coil is that less pressure through the leverJ is required to overcome the stiffness of the coils necessarily used to dump the teeth, and to tighten the coils upon the larger cylindrical surface than to tighten them upon the axle itself, and at the same time the strain to which the spiral at its lifted in dumping the teeth is betteu counteracted by the iiatter or less-curved surface of a drum. There is also less wear of the parts, since there is a larger surface for the coils to act upon. Further, in tightening the spiral upon the drum there is a tendency in the coils to stretch and draw together laterally and interfere with one another. This difliculty is obviated by the arms Z and u,.oscillating on the axle vertically and on opposite sides ofthe drum like flanges, which serve to keep the spiral on the drum and to hold the ends ofthe spiral apart and evenly on the drum, and which are at the same time well braced against lateral strains in operating. The arms 1 and it therefore serve as stops for retaining the ends of the coil, respectively, in the same vertical plane with the adjacent ends of the drum, and it is evident that other equivalent means may be adopted subserving the same function. I desire, therefore, to be understood as claiming this construction, broadly.

Another advantage of my construction is that since the lifting-arm Z is operated by the spiral from the surface of the drum, the distance between the coils and the point on the arm from which it acts upon the teeth may be shorter than if no drum intervened between the axle and coil, and the arm is in consequence less liable to displacement under the strain of lifting, and its power is increased.

Upon the bar B is mounted a plate, P, upon which, besides the lever J, already described, are mounted the levers I and H for lifting or holding down the rake-teeth. The rod i connects lever I with lever L. The forward end of I'is bent over across lever H, so that the movement ofthe lattertoward the driver will operate lever I, and thus elevate the dumping-bar G, while pressure upon lever I from the driver will operate to depress the teeth, and at the same time carry lever H back to place. The plate Pis provided with a guard or gage, 71, so as to form a rest for the levers mounted upon P, and to limit their forward movement.

In operating my invention, when the rake is advancing or turning, the driver may exert a constant pressure forward upon the lever J. The link 1) and chain are thus drawn forward, causing the hub and arm a to rotate forward, and this causes the end of the spiral attached thereto to impinge upon the drum M, rotating on the axle and within the coils N. This pressure upon the end of the spiral being c011- stant the spiral is made to quickly grip successively throughout all its length of coil upon the drum, and to rotate forward with it, whereby the lifting-arm Zis also rotated forward, lifting the tooth-bar G through link Z and arm L. When pressure upon J is relaxed, the teeth fall to place; but they may be hastened back to place by pressure upon lover I, which acts through it'o press arm L down. The teeth may be also elevated by drawing lever H toward the driver, or by drawing lever IIC I in like manner, and also when the teeth have been elevated by J they may be retained in that position by means of levers I or H. So, also, pressure, forward upon I will hold the rake-teeth down to their work.

The method of construction and ,of operation and the ad vantages of my invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description without further explanation.

I do not claim, broadly, herein in wheel hay-rakes a friction-band or clamp-brake upon a drum, but limit my claims to the organization of instrumentalities substantially such as are herein specified.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a hay-rake, the combination,with the draft-frame and rake-teeth, of a revolving axle, a drum or enlargement mounted thereon at a point between the carrying-wheels, a spiral coil encircling the drum, a lever for tightening the coil, rake-teeth oscillating on a pivot eccentric to the revolving axle, and a link which pivotally connects the coil and rake-teeth.

2. In a hay-rake, the combinatiomwith the draft-frame and rake, of a spiral coil loosely encircling a revolving element of the machine, devices for preventing the drawing together of the convolutions of the spiral, and mechanism for tightening the spiral upon the revolving part.

3. In a hay-rake, the combination,with the draft-frame and rake, of a revolving axle provided with a drum or enlargement connected therewith, a spiral coil loosely encircling said drum and connected with the rake, devices for maintaining constantly each end of the coil in the same vertical plane with the proximate end of the drum, and mechanism for tightening the coil on the drum.

4. In a hay-rake, the combination,with the draft-frame and rake, of a revolvingaxle provided with a drum or enlargement connected therewith, a spiral coil loosely encircling said drum, loose sleeves or collars upon the axle, to which the ends of the coil are attached,an operating-lever connected with one of said collars, and a transmitting-lever connected with the other collar and with the rake.

5. In a hay-rake, the combination, with the draft-frame and rake, ofa revolving axle provided with a drum orenlargement connected therewith, a spiral coil loosely encircling said drum, loose sleeves or collars upon the axle provided with projecting arms, to which the ends of the coil are attached, an operatinglever connected with one of said collars, and

a transmitting-lever connected with the collar and with the rake.

6. In a hay-rake, the combinatiomwith the draft-frame and rake, of a revolving axle provided with a drum or enlargement connected therewith, a spiral coil loosely encircling said drum and connected at one end with the rake, a snubbing-chain connected with the other end of the coil and with an operating-lever,and a sleeve or collar upon the axle, around which saidchain passes.

7. In a hay-rake, the combination,with the draft-frame and rake, of a revolving axle provided with a drum or enlargement connected therewith, a spiral coil loosely encircling said drum, loose sleeves or collars upon the axle, to which the ends of the coil are attached, an e operatinglever connected by a chain with one of said collars,whose external diameter,about which the chain passes, is less than that of the drum,and a transmitting-lever connected with the other collar and'with the rake.

8. In a hay-rake, the combination, with the draft-frame and rake, of a revolving axle provided with a drum or enlargement connected therewith and internally recessed, a spiral coil 8 5 loosely encircling said drum, loose sleeves or collars upon the axle projecting within the drum-recesses and provided with projecting arms connected, respectively, with opposite ends of the coil, an operating-lever connected with one of the collars, and a transmittinglever connected with the other and with the rake.

9. In a hay-rake having a draft-frame and revolving axle, a journal-box laterally adjustable upon the axle and connected with the draft-frame.

' 10. In a hay-rake having a draft-frame and revolving axle, a journal-box having a lug provided with a retaining-groove, and bolt connected with the draft-frame, and whose head is adapted to engage in said groove.

11. In a hay-rake having a draft-frame, rake-friction dumping-clutch, and operative mechanism for the same, the combination, with said clutch of an oil-pan-snbjacent thereto.

12. In a hay-rake, the combination, with the draft-frame, rake, and revolving axle provided with a drum or enlargement loosely encircled by a spiral coil, said coil being connected with 'an operating-lever and with the rake, of an oil-pan partially inclosing the drum and coil.

CHARLES LA .DOW.

Witnesses:

B. I. STANTON, WM. P. RUDD.

IOO 

